SF Apps

Apps to Download Before Your Trip
Sharp hills? Check. Unpredictable weather? Check. San Francisco is beautiful, but it’s not the easiest city to navigate. Here’s a list of the most helpful apps that’ll make your trip even better.

Weather:
SF Climates: www.sfclimates.com
San Francisco is known for its micro-climates. It can be hot and sunny in one area, while ten blocks away it might be fog city. In the summer you can watch your car’s temperature gauge rise up to thirty degrees when you cross the bridge. Use this handy SF Climates app to see whether you’ll need layers or sunglasses wherever you’re going.

Walking:
Walkonomics: www.walkonomics.com There’s no better way to see the amazing sights this city has to offer than walking, but we’ve known visitors who set out only to return hours later than expected. The hills here can be killer! Use the Walkonomics app to find the most walkable route to your destination. Also, here’s a great website that maps out the direction of the city’s hills: www.hillmapper.com

Guidekick: Guidekick acts as your own personal tour guide of some of San Francisco’s top sites. Beautiful images and 3D technology gives you insight you’d never get on your own. https://itunes.guidekick

Trailia: We wish more visitors would spend time hiking San Francisco’s gorgeous trails, and Trailia makes it easy to find just the right walk for whatever you’re in the mood for. https://itunes.trailia

Driving:
San Francisco is only seven miles by seven miles, but if you’re an unfamiliar driver, the wrong route will get you stuck in traffic or endlessly circling some of the one-way streets downtown. And don’t even think of navigating Market Street without downloading Waze first! www.waze.com

Parking is hard to find, and expensive, so if you get stuck without a parking spot, try the Luxe valet parking app. It sends a valet to park for you, wherever you are. www.luxe.com

Visitors are sometimes surprised they can’t simply stand on a corner and hail a cab. The better way to do it is to download Flywheel, the taxi app, or one of the ride-sharing apps like Uber or Lyft.

Taking public transportation isn’t a problem when you’ve got Routesy. This app helps you navigate San Francisco’s buses and BART system. It even provides real time updates for how long you’ll wait at any stop. www.routesy.com

Eating:
San Francisco is foodie heaven! Where to eat will have to be covered in another post—but once you know where you want to go, use Open Table to make your reservation. www.opentable.com

Prefer food trucks to restaurants? No problem! San Francisco’s got plenty. Use the Roaming Hunger app to find out where the best food trucks are stationed every day. www.roaminghunger.com

And don’t miss one of the weekly Off the Grid food truck picnics! Hit the Presidio picnic on Sunday afternoons and experience city food and fun like a local. www.offthegrid.com